This is an introduction to the science of human behavior and surveys topics including learning, motivation, physiological, personality, and abnormal psychology. This is basic to all succeeding courses in psychology. This is a three credit hour course.

COURSE RATIONALE / TRANSFERABILITY

This course is designed to provide the student with a basic understanding of Psychology and is a foundation for all succeeding Psychology courses. This course has transferability to other colleges, but it is always advisable to check with the receiving four-year school.

REQUIRED / SUGGESTED COURSE MATERIALS

Required:

Wood, S.E., Wood, and BoydMastering the World of Psychology. 5th. Edition (Allyn and Bacon publishers)ISBN: 978-0-205-96808-4

The total number of points you “earn” will determine your final course grade:

900+ = A800-899 = B700-799 = C600-699 = D<600 = F

Chapter AssignmentsMost weeks you will be administered a chapter assignment early Monday AM. Each assignment consists of a few questions that you are to address based on the assigned reading and video lectures. The assignment will remain open and available for 5 days. This will result in a maximum of 420 points applied to your final course grade.

Discussion Board AssignmentsMost weeks you will be administered a discussion board assignment based on current and recent readings and video lectures. It will open early Thursday AM IF YOU HAVE ALREADY COMPLETED YOUR CHAPTER ASSIGNMENT. You should wait at least 24 hours after your original posting and then respond to at least one other classmate in the discussion. This will result in a maximum of 100 points applied to your final course grade.

TestsYou will be given 2 tests each consisting of multiple choice/true-false/fill-in-the-blank/short answer and short essay questions at covering the reading, video lectures, and discussion board activity. Each test is worth 100 points and will be taken at the NEW MEXICO JUNIOR COLLEGE TESTING CENTER a scheduled date and time. If you will not be traveling to NMJC for testing, you should contact me no later than 3 weeks before the test to discuss how to take the test at a local junior college. This will result in a maximum of 200 points applied towards your final course grade.

Final ExamYou will be given a comprehensive final exam consisting of multiple choice/true-false/fill-in-the-blank/short answer and short essay questions at covering the reading, video lectures, and discussion board activity. The test is worth 200 points and will be taken at the NEW MEXICO JUNIOR COLLEGE TESTING CENTER a scheduled date and time. If you will not be traveling to NMJC for testing, you should contact me no later than 3 weeks before the test to discuss how to take the test at a local junior college. This will result in a maximum of 200 points applied towards your final course grade.

Syllabus QuizYou will be given a syllabus quiz consisting of multiple choice/true-false/fill-in-the-blank/short answer and short essay questions at covering the readings for the first week. The test is worth 20 points and will be taken at your leisure on your home computer and is "open book". This will result in a maximum of 20 points applied towards your final course grade.

Tips for Success in Online Courses:
1. Log in to class regularly.
2. Pay attention.
3. Take notes.
4. Keep up with readings and assignments.
5. Ask questions when you do not understand something.
6. Utilize your professor’s office hours and e-mail.
7. Read the text.
8. Adhere to the deadlines posted in the course outline.

INSTITUTIONAL STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

New Mexico Junior College’s institutional student learning outcomes represent the knowledge and abilities developed
by students attending New Mexico Junior College. Upon completion students should achieve the following learning outcomes
along with specific curriculum outcomes for respective areas of study:

Communication

Comprehend information to summarize, analyze, evaluate, and apply to a specific situation.

Communicate in an accurate, correct, and understandable manner.

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

Define a problem and arrive at a logical solution.

Use appropriate technology and information systems to collect, analyze, and organize information.

Apply critical thinking, analysis, and problem solving to data.

Self and Community

Analyze and reflect on the ethical dimensions of legal, social, and / or scientific issues.

Communicate an awareness of a variety of perspectives of ethical issues.

Interact with individuals and within groups with integrity and awareness of others’ opinions, feelings and values.

DEPARTMENTAL STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
New Mexico Junior College’s Social/Behavioral Sciences Department
endorses the core competencies as established by the State of New Mexico

New MexicoJunior College’s Social/Behavioral Sciences
Department endorses the core competencies as established by the State of New Mexico. Within our
respective fields, as appropriate, students should

A. identify, describe and explain human behaviors and how
they are influenced by socialstructures, institutions, and processes within the contexts of
complex and diverse communities.

B. articulate how beliefs, assumptions,
and values are influenced by factors such as politics, geography, economics,
culture, biology, history, and social institutions.

This course is designed so that you work and learn throughout the week and do not attempt to study on just day or night. You must decide if your life situation will allow you to do that within the time frames outlined in this course. If not I would advise you to consider re-taking this class when you have more control over your schedule. Thank-you.

Chapter assignments are due by 1159PM Friday but late work is accepted. A chapter assignment turned in by the following Saturday night is accepted with a 2-letter grade penalty; a chapter assignment turned in by the following Sunday night is accepted with a 50% deduction.

However, if you turn in your chapter assignment later than Saturday afternoon, you may not have time to complete all requirements of the discussion assignment by Sunday night. Review those requirements. No late work is accepted on discussions.

Study guides will be provided to help you prepare for tests and the final exam.

You should refer to the Announcements on an almost daily basis to stay current. It is your responsibility to keep up with all your work and the due dates.

Response Time Frames: The instructor will respond to student email within 24 hours on weekdays and 48 hours on weekends. Grades for the course will be posted by the end of Tuesday each week.

There is no extra credit in this class.

GENERAL/MISCELLANEOUS

Students will be held responsible for the information on these
pages.

Academic Honesty
Each student is expected to maintain the highest standards of honesty and integrity
in online academic and professional matters. The College reserves the right
to take disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal, against any student
who is found guilty of academic dishonesty or otherwise fails to meet these
standards. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, dishonesty in
quizzes, tests, or assignments; claiming credit for work not done or done by
others; and nondisclosure or misrepresentation in filling out applications or
other College records. Cheating or gaining illegal information for any type of graded work is considered dishonest and will be dealt with accordingly.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Information
Any student requiring special accommodations should contact the Special Needs
Student Services Coordinator at (575) 492-2576 or by e-mail at krueda@nmjc.edu.

Attendance Policy and Participation Expectations
It is expected that you regularly log into class at least three times weekly
and check your Canvas mail to ensure you have not missed any changes/updates.
Students are expected to complete discussions/quizzes/tests/ assignments before
deadlines expire.

Canvas Help
If you experience difficulty with Canvas you may reach the Canvas Helpdesk at
canvashelpdesk@nmjc.edu, or by calling
the 24 hour helpdesk phone at (575) 399-2199.

Netiquette
The professor is responsible for monitoring and evaluating student conduct and
student behavior within the Canvas course. By registering for this class, the
student is assumed to have entered into an agreement with New Mexico Junior
College and the professor to log into the class regularly and to behave in an
appropriate manner at all times. Disruptive behavior may
result in the student being removed from the class and dropped for the semester.
For comprehensive information on the common rules of netiquette and other online
issues, please review the NMJC Online Student Handbook.

Online Learning Environment
By participating in an online class, you undertake responsibility for your own
progress and time management.

Pay attention to deadlines and do not forget them (keep a calendar if it
helps).

Carefully read and understand all assignments.

Complete assignments according to posted instructions and notes. Do not
just glance at an assignment before attempting to complete it (this is likely
to result in a poor grade).

Questions may be posed for clarification in the class discussion area or
by sending an e-mail to your instructor.

Plagiarism
Offering the work of another as one’s own, without proper acknowledgment, is plagiarism; therefore, any student who fails to give credit for quotations or essentially identical expression of material taken from books, encyclopedias, magazines and other reference works, or from the themes, reports, or other writings of a fellow student, is guilty of plagiarism. Plagiarism violates the academic honesty policy and is considered cheating.

Tutoring Assistance
Free tutoring services are available to all NMJC students through Brainfuse and the Academic Success Center located in Mansur Hall room 123 and 124.

Withdrawal Policy
The instructor has the right to drop any student who has failed to log on to Canvas for two weeks or more, but it is not guaranteed that the instructor will drop you. If the student chooses to stop attending a class, he/she should withdraw from the class by accessing your student account in the T-Bird Web Portal at www.nmjc.edu, or submitting the required paperwork to the Registrar’s Office by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 20, 2017. Failure to withdraw yourself from a course by this date may result in your receiving an “F” in the course. All students are encouraged to discuss their class status with the professor prior to withdrawing from the class.